Swedish Armoured Troops

In Sweden, after World War I, a smaller number of tanks were procured. The training with these was located to Svea Life Guards (I 1). According to the Defence Act of 1925, a tank battalion was organized, which was placed to Göta Life Guards (I 2).[1] A tank battalion was organized at Göta Life Guards (I 2) from 1928 to 1939 and after the regiment was disbanded in 1939, tank battalions were organized in Skaraborg Regiment (I 9) and Södermanland Regiment (I 10) between 1939 and 1942. Parallel attempts were made with armored cars in the cavalry between 1925 and 1942 and with motorized brigade between 1940 and 1942.[2]

A KP-bil in 1943.

The Swedish Armoured Troops were formed on 1 October 1942.[3] According to the Defence Act of 1942, the armoured troops were organized in peace-time as an independent branch of four armoured regiments (Göta Armoured Life Guards, Scanian Armoured Regiment, Södermanland Armoured Regiment and Skaraborg Armoured Regiment). The Swedish Armoured Troops were organized in war-time in armoured brigades consisting of, among other things, a tank and two armoured infantry battalions and an artillery battalion.[1]

The four armored brigades – Pbrig m/43 – were created to meet the need for powerful attack units that could break through a defensive position and quickly proceed behind enemy lines. The brigades would be trained and organized by the aforementioned four regiments:[2]

• Göta Armoured Life Guards (P 1) in Enköping with a company (P 1 G) at I 18 in Visby – the resurrected Göta Life Guards
• Scanian Armoured Regiment (P 2) in Helsingborg, the converted K 2
• Södermanland Armoured Regiment (P 3) in Strängnäs – former I 10
• Skaraborg Armoured Regiment (P 4) in Skövde – former I 9.

Two educational institutions were also formed, the Swedish Armoured Troops School (PS) – located at P 4, and the Swedish Armoured Troops Officer Candidate School (POAS) – located at P 3 – later to P 1. The war-organized brigades had two tanks battalions and one panzergrenadier battalion with KP-bil's, among others.[2] The design of the field brigades, together with newly acquired war experiences from World War II, resulted in the 1949 parliamentary decision that also Svea Life Guards (I 1) in Sörentorp, Älvsborg Regiment (I 5) in Borås and the South Scanian Infantry Regiment (Södra skånska infanteriregementet, I 7) in Ystad were converted to armoured infantry regiments under the Inspector of the Swedish Armoured Troops' jurisdiction to ensure a unified training closely related to the existing armoured regiments and a joint brigade production of five brigades – Pbrig 49.[4]

A Stridsvagn 74 fitted with SS.11 missiles in Gotland in 1965.

This brigade organization with, among other things, different rates of movement between the tanks and armoured infantry battalions (the main part on military bicycles) reduced the brigade's attack power and was quickly outrun by international development with its demands for higher standards, mobility and constant division in the battlefield.[5] Already at the end of the war, Sweden was unhelpful in technical development. Therefore, a large number of heavy tanks (Centurion) were purchased in 1953 and a reorganization – Pbrig 58 – started with mixed battalions which included a tank and two bicycle transporting infantry companies, one of which could be transported on KP-bil's. Attacks were carried out on foot and the tank was given a supporting role. The attack speed was limited to 5 km/h. Older tanks' gun turrets were used as gun turret fortifications at ports and airfields, and Stridsvagn m/41 and Stridsvagn m/42 were rebuilt into Pansarbandvagn 301 and Stridsvagn 74 respectively.[5]

At the armoured regiments, assault gun companies (Infanterikanonvagn 72, 73, 102 and 103) were also trained, self-propelled anti-tank companies (Pansarvärnskanonvagn m/43), anti-aircraft gun platoons (40 mm L/60) and crews for self-propelled assault guns (Stormartillerivagn m/43).[5] In 1957, the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion (P 5) was raised to meet the needs of armoured combat units in Upper Norrland. In the same year, P 3 was reorganized into I 10 and became an armoured infantry regiment. I 1 returned to the infantry.[5]

Stridsvagn 101 (Centurion) in 1965.

In order to increase the attack force of the armoured brigade, extensive materiel and organizational experiments were carried out in the early 1960s.[6] The final product became Pbrig 63 with armoured battalions consisting of two self-propelled panzergrenadier companies (Pansarbandvagn 301 and later Pansarbandvagn 302) and two tanks with either Centurion (Stridsvagn 101, 102) or the unconventionally Swedish-built S-Tank (Stridsvagn 103) as main tank and its own artillery (10.5 cm howitzer). Pbrig 63, with its mobile, firepower, integrated and combat technology well thought out organization, attracted great international interest and praise.[6] The peace organization changed so that I 6, I 7, I 10 and I 18 became new armoured regiments while I 15 returned to the infantry.[6]

The reduction of defence appropriations in the 1970s and 1980s forced reductions in both the war and peace organizations. In 1971, the war organization consisted of six armoured brigades, four Norrland brigades, 21 infantry brigades, about 100 command, support and maintenance battalions, and about 100 local defence battalions. In the late 1970s, the fully motorized infantry brigade 77 was introduced, but half of the older infantry brigades and two of the armored brigades were disbanded.[7] P 1 was disbanded in 1980 and the Swedish Armoured Troops Cadet and Officer Candidate School (PKAS) was amalgamated with the Swedish Armoured Troops School (PS) in Skövde. P 10's armoured brigade was reorganized into a mechanized brigade.[8]

A Combat Vehicle 9040 of Gotland Regiment (P 18) in 2005.

In 1994, the organization changed by introducing the concept of mechanized brigade. At that time, the army's field units consisted of two armoured brigades, four mechanized brigades (fewer tanks than the armored brigades), seven infantry brigades and four Norrland brigades. The mechanization process of these two later brigade types continued during the 1990s with the goal of forming fully mechanized brigades in 2000 (IB 2000/NB 2000). However, all brigades were disbanded in the war organization according to the Defence Act of 2000.[9]

The procurement of the Leopard 2 system started in 1991. After evaluation in 1994 the German Leopard 2 Improved (Stridsvagn 122) was elected. Stridsvagn 122 would replace Stridsvagn 103 in the armoured brigades. Sweden was also given the opportunity to acquire used Leopard 2A4 (Stridsvagn 121) at a low price, which would replace the Centurion's in the mechanized brigades. The deliveries of the 120 Stridsvagn 122 began in 1997 and were completed in 2002. The transfer of the 160 pcs used Leopard 2A4 (Stridsvagn 121) to Sweden was completed in 1995.[10] In connection with the acquisition of Leopard 2, the remaining Stridsvagn 101 and Stridsvagn 102 began to be eliminated in 1992 pending scrapping. Remaining were 80 Stridsvagn 104 at the Kristianstad Brigade (PB 26), but this brigade would disbanded in 1994. In connection with this, 60 tanks from the Kristianstad Brigade were transferred in 1992 to Södermanland Brigade (MekB 10), where they were in service until 1994, when they were transferred to Gotland to upgrade and modernize the Gotland Brigade (MekB 18). The tanks came to serve at the Gotland Brigade until the Defence Act of 2000, when the tank training stopped at the brigade and Stridsvagn 104's were scrapped.[11]

In 2000, the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) was commissioned by the Swedish Armed Forces to dismantle Stridsvagn 103, Stridsvagn 104, Brobandvagn 941, Bärgningsbandvagn 81, Bärgningsbandvagn 82, Infanterikanonvagn 91, Luftvärnsrobotvagn 701 and Pansarvärnsrobotvagn 551. Bärgningsbandvagn 81 was eliminated after 2004 and was replaced by the Bärgningsbandvagn 120.[12][13]

Stridsvagn 122's of Skaraborg Regiment (P 4) in 2018.

The Swedish Armoured Troops consist in 2020s of South Scanian Regiment (P 7) in Revingehed, Skaraborg Regiment (P 4) in Skövde, and since 2018 also Gotland Regiment (P 18). P 7 consist, among other units, of the 71st Battalion, a motorized infantry battalion equipped with Pansarterrängbil 360,[14] and the 72nd Battalion, a mechanized battalion equipped with Stridsvagn 122 and Combat Vehicle 90.[15] P 4 consist, among other units, of the 41st and the 42nd Armoured Battalion. The main weapon systems of the armored battalions are Stridsvagn 122, Combat Vehicle 9040, 12 cm grenade launchers and anti-air vehicles.[16] P 18 consists, among other units, of the 181st Armoured Battalion, formed in January 2020.

In Upper Norrland, the Norrbotten Armoured Battalion has operated since 1957. Today its part of Norrbotten Regiment (I 19). The Norrbotten Armoured Battalion is organized for the daily production of war units and consists of personnel from the 191st and 192nd Mechanized Battalions.[17]

• Catoni, Mac, ed. (1992). Pansartrupperna 50 år 1992-10-01 (PDF) (in Swedish). [Stockholm]: [s.n.] SELIBR 9958126.
• Carlquist, Gunnar; Carlsson, Josef, eds. (1955). Svensk uppslagsbok (in Swedish) (2nd, revis. and enlarged ed.). Malmö: Förlagshuset Norden. SELIBR 11112. Archived from the original on 2014-03-12.
• Gullberg, Ingvar E. (1977). Svensk-engelsk fackordbok för näringsliv, förvaltning, undervisning och forskning [A Swedish-English dictionary of technical terms used in business, industry, administration, education and research] (in Swedish) (2nd ed.). Stockholm: Norstedt. ISBN 91-1-775052-0. SELIBR 8345587.
• Henricson, Bo; Sandberg, C.V., eds. (2006). Södermanlands regemente 1973-2005 (in Swedish). Strängnäs: Kungl. Södermanlands regementes officerares kamratförening. ISBN 91-631-8864-3. SELIBR 10193512.
• Holmberg, Björn (1993). Arméns regementen, skolor och staber: [en uppslagsbok]: en sammanställning (in Swedish). Arvidsjaur: Svenskt militärhistoriskt bibliotek (SMB). ISBN 91-972209-0-6. SELIBR 7796532.
• Kjellander, Bo, ed. (1992). Pansartrupperna 1942–1992 (in Swedish). Skövde: Arméns pansarcentrum. ISBN 91-630-1253-7. SELIBR 7449092.
• Försvarets traditioner i framtiden med översiktlig historik från 1500-talet (PDF) (in Swedish). Statens försvarshistoriska museer TradN. 2018 [2015]. ISBN 9789197859554. SELIBR 17552963.